How much rent can I afford in the UK?
This calculator helps you understand the maximum monthly rent that keeps your finances healthy — based on your income and actual monthly outgoings. It uses the widely-accepted 30–35% income rule as a guide.
Your finances
Adjust the sliders to match your situation
Your gross (pre-tax) annual income
Bills, food, subscriptions, travel — excluding rent
Monthly loan, credit card, or other debt payments
Your rent affordability
Results update as you type
Your affordability is broadly in line with the UK average
You are well-positioned to afford a home, rent, or car within the typical UK range. Small improvements to expenses or savings will open up more options.
Recommended rent budget
Up to £1,313/month keeps your finances healthy based on the 30–35% income rule. This is comfortable for most people at this income level.
What these figures mean
Lower end (£1,125/mo) — 30% of gross income. Leaves good room for savings and unexpected costs.
Upper end (£1,313/mo) — 35% of gross income. Workable if your other outgoings are low. Anything above this may start to feel like a stretch.
Safe monthly disposable income
After expenses and debt, you have around £2,475 left — with a 10% buffer included for unexpected costs.
Based on typical UK tax bands. This is an estimate, not financial advice.
Why the 30% rule?
The 30% rule — keeping rent below 30% of gross income — has been used by financial advisers and housing economists for decades. It's a practical threshold that leaves enough money for food, transport, savings, and unexpected costs.
In practice, many UK renters — especially in London — spend 35–50% of income on rent. While that's common, it often means cutting savings, going into debt for emergencies, or having very little financial flexibility.
If you must go above 35%: reduce other fixed costs where possible (phone contract, subscriptions), avoid car finance on top of high rent, and build a small emergency fund first.
These figures are based on gross salary. Your take-home pay after tax will be lower, which means the real percentage of take-home going to rent will be higher than the 30% figure suggests. Use the disposable income figure above as the more practical check.
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No sign-up required. Free to use. Not financial advice.
Also check
Explore more UK affordability scenarios tailored to different salaries and locations.